Reign
by KillCipher
Summary: Danny Fenton's eyes snapped open as blue mist poured from his mouth.His icy blue eyes scanned the room for potential threats, but he saw none.Danny frowned and blinked, reopening his now glowing green eyes."Dani? Clockwork?" The time ghost chuckled and faded into visibility."It seems that you have gotten better at sensing my arrival."
1. Prologue

_"Clockwork?"_

 _"It seems that you have gotten better at sensing my arrival."_

 **Why is it so hot?**

Danny thought he could do with a little ice right now...

 _"Only the person who defeated the previous king may become the rightful ruler."_

 _"Okay, and what does that have to do with ME?"_

The unknown heat rippled all over Danny's body, making the unbearable heat even worse, if it was even possible.

 **Why does this feel so different?**

 _"It is your fate, I have foreseen it."_

 _"But I don't WANT TO BE KING! Why didn't anyone tell me this would happen?!"_

 **I shouldn't have done this, I'm not ready...**

Danny didn't know when the smoldering darkness would end. It could have been seconds, hours, years maybe...when will it end...

 _"Okay...Okay. I'm ready. I'll do something right...for once, I'll do something right. Its not about what I want."_

 _"Come, child...I wish you luck."_

 **Clockwork, where are you?**


	2. Chapter 1

Danny's chest heaved as he sucked in huge amounts of air.

His wide open eyes were draining pure black from his icy blue orbs. The ghostly green flames that surrounded his form died down, until disappearing from the long onyx table altogether. Danny slowly drifted down from his floating position and landed gently on the table.

Danny slowed his breathing and blinked his eyes rapidly.

Clockwork stood to the side, his childlike form shifting into one of a young adult.

"Thank god, its over..." Danny muttered.

Danny groaned and sat up, his black bangs dropping in his face, almost touching his nose. Danny swung his legs over the side of the levitation table and hopped down.

"I hope I don't look too different..." he muttered.

"Oh, you'd be surprised." the young Clockwork snickered.

Danny panicked. He quickly formed a long mirror of ice, then took took at his reflection.

He sent an irritated look at his mentor. Clockwork shifted into an infant form and giggled.

"You made it sound like I looked totally different." Danny snapped. Clockwork giggled and floated himself upside down.

Danny rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

He turned back to the mirror, then frowned. "What happened to my hair?"

His hair was longer, and darker. The sides and back were cut short, but the rest of his hair was longer, and in the same style as always. But with how good it looked, Danny figured he should have done this to it a long time ago.

"What the...?" Danny leaned closer to the mirror, staring into his own eyes. The icy blue that he was familiar with was there, but it was trapped in a ring of dark blue.

As he explored his face, he noticed how white his already pale skin had gotten. And were those freckles?

Danny's mouth opened in astonishment, but then he snapped it closed. He had seen it for just enough time.

"Holy crap, Clockwork! Why the hell did you give me FANGS?! I look like a freaking vampire!"

Clockwork was in his adult form now. He simply shrugged and said, "It wasn't me. The flames simply enhanced what you already had."

"But I didn't have fangs! Not even a SINGLE freckle." Danny mused.

"Perhaps it is reflecting your personality. You do not like it?" Clockwork raised his eyebrow.

Danny glanced at himself in the long ice mirror. He had a red and black t-shirt, dark green jeans tucked into black combat boots, a dark blue hooded jacket, and (for some weird reason) his cousins signature red beanie. He was a little bit taller, not too noticeable...His hair didn't look _that bad_...

Danny mentally groaned. He just faced the fact that he looked totally hot.

"It's fine, I guess...It's not _too_ bad." Danny pouted. Clockwork smirked.

"Right."

"So what now?" Danny mused.

"Now we take a look at Phantom." Clockwork said.

Oh right. Danny glanced at the mirror and shook his head.

He searched deep within himself for the cold ball of energy, and pulled it forward.

A flash of light appeared at his waist, forming a blue ring, which split apart. One ring traveled up, the other down, revealing black and white fabric in it's wake. Danny's raven hair turned to a silky, snow white. Skin went from pale, to slightly tan. Icy blue eyes were replaced with shockingly green ghostly eyes.

"Cool!" Danny exclaimed, his spectral voice echoing. Even his hazmat suit had changed.

Intead of the one piece, black and white hazmat, he had different style clothes.

Danny Phantom now wore black skinny jeans and white combat boots, a long sleeve black shirt with a sleeveless, hooded white half jacket. White fingerless gloves were on his hands.

Two white belts crisscrossed across his waist, one belt holding a Fenton thermos. His white hair was in the same style as in human form.

Danny looked in the mirror and saw that his white half jacket had the Phantom logo in black on the upper left side.

Danny's feet left the ground as he charged up and ectoblast. Now this, he could get used to.

He turned his head to the side and noticed a green and white headset on his ear. With two nearly invisible buttons and a mic extending to his jaw, it looked kinda like what a singer would wear, a microphone for performing onstage.

He pushed a button and a loud beeping noise made him put his hand over his jacket pocket. Danny reached in his pocket and pulled out four more, one all black, one white and red, a icy blue and white one, and a black and green one.

Danny flashed a sharp grin towards Clockwork. "Perfect."

Danny floated a while longer, then touched back down on the cold onyx floor.

"Is that all?" he asked.

"Yes child. It is time." Clockwork said, back in young adult form.

Danny huffed and made the ice mirror explode into frost.

Danny ran his hand through his freakishly soft white hair.

"I'm ready."

_DP_


	3. Chapter 2

The door to FentonWorks pushed softly open as Danny quietly came in.

Danny sighed and closed the door as quietly as possible. He glanced around the kitchen and pulled his blue jacket tighter.

"Two days."

Danny froze.

"You've been gone for two days, Danny." Jazz said softly.

Danny grimaced and turned to face his sister, who he had totally missed sitting in a chair at the table.

"I know Jazz. I've just been..." Danny trailed off.

"Busy?" her eyes watered. Danny winced. "I'm so sorry Jazzy. I was with Clockwork, he...I'm...Jazz, I..."

Jazz got up from her seat, and wrapped him up in a warm hug. "We were so worried Danny. We thought that Vlad had gotten you. Or Skulker, or Walker, or Undergrowth and...I'm so glad you're okay..."

Danny hugged her back tightly. "I'm sorry Jazz. What I've gotten myself into this time...I think you'll be my therapist forever..."he joked feebly.

Jazz released him and wiped her watery eyes. "Why?"

Danny rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Well...it's kinda hard to explain, so I only want to do it once, when we can talk with Sam and Tucker."

Jazz looked at him sadly, and nodded slowly. Danny then remembered something important. He reached in his jacket pocket.

He pulled out the headsets, and pulled out the blue and white one.

"Here, Jazzy. We can talk to each other through these headsets. Anytime I want to talk, I'll beep you. Okay?" he handed her the headset.

She took the headset and examined it. She nodded.

"I think those colors suit you."

Jazz laughed and pulled him in for another hug. She then frowned and pushed him away.

"Danny, you're taller." she commented.

The kitchen light snapped on.

The two teens stood there like deer caught in headlights.

"Jazz? Danny? Oh my God, Danny!"

Maddie Fenton rushed down the stairs, wrapping her son in a crushing hug. She started crying.

"Oh Danny! I thought you were gone! Why did you leave? What happened?" Maddie questioned.

Jack Fenton still stood on the stairs, very confused.

Danny pulled himself from her grip. "Mom, I'm fine! I'm okay, I'm back now.." he muttered.

Maddie took in his appearance. "Why are you dressed like this? Where did you get this stuff from?"

Jazz glanced at Danny's attire, which was skinny jeans, a shirt, a jacket, and a beanie. She frowned. Where would he even get those clothes?

"Uh, I was...walking. And some dude kidnapped me. Threw me in his car and drove like 15 miles, dumped me out on the side of the road." Danny improvised. Jazz narrowed her eyes.

Maddie looked shaken. "How'd you get the clothes? How'd you get back?"

"Well, I had snatched that guys wallet, the dude who kidnapped me. I bought me some clothes cause I fell in some mud. I stayed in a hotel. Then rented a cab to bring me back. The cabbie ditched me a couple blocks down the street. Took the guys wallet." Danny lied easily.

Jack looked confused. "That's an awful lot for two days."

Jazz took over then. "Yes. An awful lot. Danny, you must be exhausted." she grabbed his arm.

Danny nodded quickly. "Oh yeah, I'm really tired so...night mom. Night dad." he was pulled up the stairs.

Maddie hugged herself. "Goodnight Danny, goodnight Jazz."

Danny locked himself in his room, no longer holding his breath. He didn't like lying to Mom. Or at least being _good_ at it.

_DP_

"Who's _that_?"

"Ooh! He's cute!"

"Cool,new kid!"

Danny laughed to himself as none of the people recognized him. When he had woken up, Danny had realized that he couldn't fit any of his old clothes, seeing as he was about two inches taller. It seems that Clockwork had noticed this also, because when Danny opened his closet, he found new clothes, all the right size. They were in the same style as the ones he had gotten earlier.

 _Thank you Clocky._

Now Danny wore faded skinny jeans with a red shirt with a black stripe going through it. And Danny was getting used to his blue jacket and red beanie.

And now walking to the entrance of the school, students send Danny funny looks. Danny could have sworn he heard a 'He looks kinda familiar...' in the sea of 'Whoa, new kid!'.

He looked around until he spotted who he was looking for. A fanged smirk danced upon his lips.

Danny slipped into the buses and turned invisible. He walked around the the side of the school and saw Sam Manson and Tucker Foley sitting under a tree.

He stood behind Tucker, who had his face practically pressed against the screen of a PDA. Tucker was muttering to Sam.

"He has got to be here. His cell phone popped up on my radar this morning. There's no way I could have missed it."

"Search again then Tucker! I don't know what will happen if I don't find him." Sam snapped, scanning the crowd.

Tucker glared at her. "I'm searching too, you know." he said quietly.

Sam ignored him.

Even when they aren't together. Tucker shook his head.

"Lovebirds." he muttered.

Danny raised an eyebrow. He floated up above their heads, and snatched away Tucker's beloved electronic.

"Hey! My PDA!" Tucker jumped up and looked for enemies. He saw none. Sam looked up. Danny became visible, still holding the PDA.

"We are NOT lovebirds." Danny smirked.

Tucker stood shocked, before he grabbed Danny's foot and yanked him down like a balloon.

"HEY!"

"Danny!" his friends dogpiled him.

"Its good to see you guys too." Danny snickered.

Sam and Tucker got off of him and took a good look at him.

"Whoa, man! What happened to you, because if _that's_ the point, I need to try disappearing for two days." Tucker commented.

Danny rolled his eyes. Sam hugged him again.

Tucker whistled. "Wow. Already can't keep the girls off you." Sam let go and glared at him.

"Cool it, man. We haven't seen him in two days. At least I'm showing him I'm glad he wasn't dead."

Danny laughed and Tucker frowned. "Well I did miss him, and worry and all..."

Danny laughed harder. Tuckers eyes widened.

"DUDE! You've got fangs!" he whisper shouted. Danny stopped laughing and covered his mouth.

Sam raised her eyebrows. "Look who's gone goth now."

Danny shot her an irritated look. "It's not gothic. Something came up with Clockwork."

" _Clocky_ did this?"

"Well no, actually it's like something big happened and Clockwork just managed to help me out."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

The ten minute bell rung inside the school. The grounds had mostly cleared by now.

"We'll have to wait for Jazz to talk. Its too complicated to tell more than once."

They got up and walked around to the entrance. Danny stopped once they made it to the door.

"Here." he said.

He handed Sam the black headset, and gave Tucker the red and white one.

"That's for communication. I have one in my ghost form. I'll beep you guys when I want to talk."

They rushed inside the building to get to their lockers.


	4. Chapter 3

Dash slammed Danny's back against the lockers.

"You think that just cause your new you can come and do whatever you want? Well you can't! Because you're messing with the wrong A-lister, _loser!"_

Danny couldn't hold in his laughter any more. He caught other the students attention with his loud laughter. Dash turned red in the face. "What's so funny, Dork? Why are you laughing kid, cause your about to get your face punched in!"

Danny stopped laughing and wiped the imaginary tears from the corner of his eyes."Well, it's just funny. Am I really that different? Miss two days, and suddenly I'm new?" Danny didn't like this new kid. Those sharp, icy blue eyes were mocking him. HIM!

Wait.

"Fenton?!" Dash dropped him. Danny landed on his feet."Well, YEAH." Danny said.

Dash looked him up and down. "What _happened?!_ " he questioned. Danny shrugged.

"Would you believe me if I told you I woke up like this?" Danny snickered.

Sam facepalmed. Tucker snorted. The five minute bell rang, and kids ran in every direction. Dash got shoved into the crowd and disappeared. Danny made his way to his locker, where his friends were waiting.

Tucker struck a pose. "FLAWLESS!" He drawled. Danny couldn't help but laugh at that. He opened his locker and shoved his backpack in it. He pulled out a green binder and a stuck a few pencils in his pocket.

He turned to his friends and smirked. "After you, ladies." he gestured. Tucker elbowed him, and Sam shot him a dirty look. Tucker rubbed his elbow, and glared at Danny. Danny smiled and patted his stomach.

 _"Abs of steel."_ He mouthed.

Tucker rolled his eyes as Danny slammed his locker shut and they continued their walk. The halls were clear about time they made it to Lancer's class. Danny opened the door and shoved Tucker through, then held it open for Sam. Sam rolled her eyes as Tucker grumbled. Danny smirked. Then he heard the whispers.

"Whoa who's that?" Kwan.

"Oooh, he's _hot._.." Star.

"I call dibs on _that_ , total babe..." Paulina."

"I've _seen_ that guy somewhere before..." Mikey.

Danny inwardly laughed at his classmates' incompetence. He said not a word as he walked to his seat. As he sat in his seat he heard a gasp. Danny turned to look down the row at Mikey.

"Fenton?" Mikey whispered to himself. All the way at the front of the room, Danny flashed him a sharp smile, then turned around. But it seems that no one else figured it out. Mr. Lancer emerged from behind a newspaper and studied the class.

Was he hearing clearly? A new student? He scanned the class until he found a new face. Odd, he looked kind of familiar.

"You!" Lancer snapped. He stood up, pointing at Danny. "Come up here and introduce yourself to the class." He said. Sam and Tucker looked at Danny. Danny rose one eyebrow. "Uh, Mr. Lancer.."

" _Ha_! So you've heard of me already, I like you. Come, come on up here." Lancer motioned. Tucker rolled his eyes as Danny shrugged and stood up walked to the front of the class. One girl caught his eye on the way. "Hey there." Danny smirked at Valerie.

Some girls at the front squealed. Valerie rolled her eyes. He could tell she knew it was him. Danny turned to the front of the class. "Hi,.. I was here a while ago, I hoped you guys hadn't forgotten me but then again, here we are..." Danny joked.

Tuck was trying not to pass out from trying to stop himself from laughing. Mikey slapped his hand to his face. Stupid people, really. Sam smirked as she saw Valerie roll her eyes.

"I totally thought that at least _you_ , Mr. Lancer, would have remembered me. I mean, come on," Danny snorted, "I'm your _worst_ student..."Tucker and Sam snickered. "And now you guys all act like I've totally changed. I mean, its only been two days..." Danny smirked. As if on cue, Dash slammed through the door. "FENTOAD!" He grunted.

"And...I'm done." Danny chuckled and returned to his seat. Dash glared and trudged over to his seat.

"Daniel?!" Mr. Lancer asked. Danny gave a small wave from in between his laughing friends. "Why do you look so different?" Kwan asked. Danny shrugged an thought about what he was going to say."I dunno man. Gotta give my sister some credit, with a comb and a pair of scissors, she can make anything possible."

He pulled off his beanie and ran a hand through his hair. His classmates couldn't argue, that hairstyle did look really good on him.

_DP_

Twenty minutes into first period class and Danny Fenton was sick of it.

Lancer had gone deep into the lesson, droning on and on in a monotone voice, and students were into their usual distractions.

Mikey and one of his friends had moved to the front of the class, and were flicking paper at one another.

Tucker had long since started working away on his PDA. Sam had gotten out her drawing book and was sketching.

Danny had gotten bored and discreetly turned his hand intangible, repeatedly stabbing through his hand, trying to catch himself off guard.

Paulina and Star sat in the front, filing each others nails, and sometimes sneaking looks at Danny, who tried to stab his hand again.

Danny looked up as he shivered, blue mist curling from his mouth. Danny turned to the window and narrowed his eyes. Mikey elbowed his friend and they both looked at Danny, who was glaring at something outside the window. The two kids jumped as the heard an animalistic growl come from the boy.

Danny shot his hand into the air. "Mr. Lancer? Mr. Lancer?" Danny snapped the man from his teaching trance. Mikey pulled out his phone and started recording.

"Yes, Daniel?" Mr. Lancer asked, miffed. Danny looked irritated as he asked, "Can I go get something from my locker? I left something important in there."

Mr. Lancer gazed at him for a second, then nodded. Mikey kept the camera going as Danny walked past, hearing him say, "This better be important, or I will _kill_ his immortal ass... _Told_ him not to come here..." Mikey was confused by that comment. Immortal? More like, impossible. Was he meeting with somebody?

Mikey raised his hand.

"Can I go to the bathroom?"


	5. Chapter 4

Danny slipped out of the class in a bad mood.

He had told him not to come here, not while he in was class...

Danny turned the corner and slipped through the wall out to the front steps of the school.

Danny walked the last few feet to hid visitor an hissed, "I told you not to come here!"

Fright Knight shook his head. "I apologize for defying you, my king. But it is of the utmost importance..."

Danny glanced around. "And what did I tell you about trying to look so scary all the time?" He gestured to Fright's armor.

"If someone sees you like that, they'll recognize you! I don't want you to get caught, I don't want _me_ to get caught."

Fright shook his head. "I'm sorry, in my haste I had forgotten.." Fright's armor melted away, melting down to reveal a tall, black haired teen dressed in green and black.

"Better, my king?" he smiled, revealing pointed teeth, eyes still glowing red.

Danny fumed. "Uh, no."

"Sir, I came here to tell you that Walker has deliberately defied your orders."

Danny bristled, his blue eyes darkening to match his navy jacket. "He's still hunting them..."

"The warden admittedly does not like you. He will stop at nothing until he has even you locked away in his hold."

"Well that's not gonna happen. Get the others. Meet back here later, we're taking him down." Danny said.

Fright frowned. "Why not come _now_?"

"You know I have school." Danny sighed.

Fright narrowed his eyes. "You need to remember that you are not human anymore, young master. The situation will only get worse. You have no need to be here."

Danny growled and turned around. "Know your place, Fright." Fright sighed.

"Fine. How long will you stay here, sir?"

"As long as I want, Fright. I'll take what's left of this and enjoy it while I have it."

"But-"

 _"Later_ , Fright." Danny closed his eyes and sighed.

"Yes, sir." Fright said, and turned around. He took one last look at Danny, then started running to the city, faster than any human should ever go.

Danny huffed and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back.

_DP_

Danny slid out of his seat as the bell rang.

Lunch. Finally...

"Mr. Fenton!" Lancer called as students pushed past.

Danny halted and looked back.

"That was an awful long time, for something from your locker." he said, suspicious.

Danny grinned, Mr. Lancer pondered on how his teeth had gotten so sharp...

"Well, I think you forgot... My locker is on the other side of the school. " he shrugged and slammed the door.

Danny smiled and walked outside to where his friends were waiting by the tree.

"What is up with you today, man?" Tucker questioned. Danny had to admit, he had been acting overly happy, sarcastic, and mysterious. But it was fun.

Danny shrugged and stuck his hands in his jacket pockets.

"I don't know man, I haven't felt like this since...well, you know..."

Tucker smirked. "I dunno man. I'm still thinking I might spot Super Danny around every corner."

Danny pushed him. "Dude, don't. I never _ever_ want to speak of it again..."

Sam called from behind her book, "Well you _are_ acting like Fun Danny..."

"Oh, ha ha." Danny dropped down and sat next to Sam, Tucker quickly following.

"I mean, I had such a wild weekend. And after what I told my parents, I don't think they will let me out of the house ever again. But I'll just sneak out anyway."

"Hey what did you tell them anyway?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. What excuse did you use?"

"I told them I got kidnapped and escaped and stole a wallet and all the stuff that fits into that category!"

"Yeah, cause we totally expect you to tell them what really happened..." Sam muttered.

Tucker thought about that. "Well, it could be sorta like a fake half lie. If you ask me nicely, I'll tell you exactly how to do it." Tucker hinted.

Danny rolled his eyes. "I'll buy you an extra large super ultra mega meaty Nasty Burger."

"Yes!" Tucker accepted. He walked over and whispered his idea to Danny. Danny grimaced and sat up.

"How am I supposed to tell my parents that I got kidnapped by a obsessive woman who turned me into a vampire? They would kill me! Or at least _try_..." Danny shook his head.

That actually sounded like a ghost he escaped from a while ago. She should get a cat...

"And do me a favor. Never, ever, and I mean it, _never_ eat at school Danny."

Danny flashed his sharp teeth, and sped inhumanly fast behind Tucker.

 _"No promissesssss..."_ Danny hissed, his eyes darkening to navy blue. Tucker slapped his hands away.

"Dude! Get away from me!" he said, freaked.

Danny snickered and settled back down on the ground by Sam.

But he immediately shot back up.

Danny stared into a pair of bushes.

"Mikey." he snarled.

 _ **_DP_**_

Mikey shook in fear as he dropped his phone.

The unknown woman held him up in air by his shirt, glaring down hard. The woman had come from nowhere, pulling Mikey from the bushes by his legs and pulling him around to the side of the school.

"Just _what_ do you think you're doing?! Stay away from him!" she hissed, her pure black eyes striking fear into the poor boy.

"I-I was just-"

 _"I don't care!_ You stay away from him, or you'll have _me_ to answer to!" She growled.

"Evangeline!"

Mikey and the woman snapped their heads to Danny.

Evangeline immediately dropped Mikey, and clasped her hands together.

"My Prince! I was hoping you would come back!" she smiled, showing sharp canines.

Danny grimaced at the sound of her sugary high pitched voice.

"Yeah, **NO** EVE." He deadpanned. Eve plastered on a look of worry.

"But you left so soon, I got worried when you didn't come back!~"

"You're _insane,_ woman!" Danny said incredulously.

Eve frowned. "No I'm not. You just left without saying goodbye and-"

"I ESCAPED FOR A REASON, WOMAN! DO THE WORLD A FAVOR AND **GET A CAT** , LADY!" Danny spat.

"I _do not_ like cats!" she lunged at him.

Danny sidestepped impossibly fast, grabbing her by her head and shoving her face first into the dirt, one knee on her spine.

"Get out of here, Mikey!" he snapped at the poor child, who was still on the ground. "You're messing with things you don't understand!" Danny snarled. Mikey noticed how sharp his teeth looked.

 _ **"GO!"**_

Mikey shot out of his trance, and swiped up his phone. He scrambled up and ran away, as fast as he could go.

His jostling movements as he ran caused him to unknowingly do several actions on his smartphone.

After a while, Mikey came to a stop, chest heaving.

He stared down at a giant rain puddle at his feet, his reflection looked even tired than he was.

What is Danny Fenton? What happened?

Mikey stood up, hearing the school bell. He had to tell someone...

As he stood, the smartphone slid out out his hand.

Mikey tried to catch it in vain, but the phone slipped past his hand, splashing into the puddle below.

Mikey cursed to himself as the screen on his phone winked out.

There goes that proof...


	6. Chapter 5

Danny dragged the poor ghost through the air by her long, flowing hair, which resembled knives. His invisibility did not flicker as he pulled the fully visible ghost woman toward the glowing neon sign.

"I told you what would happen." Danny said.

"But my love, I just wanted to see you, and that human boy was eavesdropping-"

"I told you! I. Do not. Love you!"

"But love-!"

"You're insane! I'm not even king yet, and why would I even want a fruit loop as a queen?!"

"Love, you don't understand!"

Danny ignored her whines and protests. He finally reached his house, and flew up above the house to the FentonWorks sign.

He sat the demented woman down.

Danny ran his hand through his hair. "Look. Eve, I don't wanna do this...so will you please leave me alone?"

"Will you make me your queen?!" Evangeline wailed.

Danny sighed. He charged up a glowing blue ectoblast.

"I didn't want to do this..."

He threw the ball at her, which hit her hard. She skidded backwards, her back plowing into the FentonWorks sign.

Her chest, arms, and legs froze to the sign in a thick layer of ice.

"But love-!" he ignored her complaints once more.

"I didn't want to have to do this." he shook his head.

Danny formed a sword of ice and started stomping his heavy combat boots. He took the blade of the sword and scraped it against the roof he was standing on, a long loud screeching mess that made even him wince.

The sword then dissolved in a puff of white steam.

Loud crashes were heard in the house under them.

He gave one apologetic shrug, then disappeared.

"Ghost!" Jack Fenton burst through the door to the roof, a large glowing gun in his hands.

He spotted Eve, who was struggling to break out of the ice.

"Aha! Ghost!" his face brightened.

"Wait, NOOOOOOO!" Evangeline wailed.

_DP_

(Ex= E. Ex=D. Ex= Both)

Danny flew back to school as quick as he could, which was insanely fast.

He made it back to school just in time to hear the late bell.

Just when I started to get back on track, Danny thought grimly. He entered the school only to find the halls completely empty. Not even the regular stragglers remained.

"Forget this, this is pointless..." Danny gave up.

Danny chose to simply skip class altogether, it wasn't the first time he had done so. Even though his skips were just mostly fights with Vlad, this one is just for at least one hour of chill time.

Danny looked around, then entered a nearby classroom.

He ran at one of the desks at top speed, jumping on top of it. He slid and jumped from that desk to another. Then another, and another. He then turned intangible and launched himself through the ceiling.

"WHOO, YEAH!"

Danny smiled as he slid and flipped off the roof of the school and landed in the courtyard at the back of the school.

Danny delayed his landing by floating around the courtyard with his arms behind his head. He had floated around for a while until he felt it. A cold pulling at his core, coldness rising up his throat and exiting past his lips.

Danny smiled to himself and pulled his core forward. Only two people would be crazy enough to face him. And he knew exactly who it was.

The glowing white halos of light traveled past his eyes and feet, and Danny Phantom turned invisible and flew around to the front of the school.

There the ghost floated uncertainly, rubbing her arms nervously.

Danny smirked and floated behind her.

"Amber..." he whispered. Ember jumped and her guitar almost slipped off her back.

She whirled around and gripped her guitar.

"Phantom?" she asked. Danny raised his eyebrows and became visible. Ember's eyes widened and she blushed, pulling her guitar closer.

"Uhm...Ah...," she stuttered. Danny smirked.

"Yeah? What do you request of me Amber, you must have a reason..." Danny questioned.

Ember glared. "Don't call me that."

Danny messed with his earpiece. "Sure thing babe."

"Don't call me that either!"

"How about Sparks?"

"No!"

"Babypop?"

"UGH! Shut up and listen, dipstick!" Ember screeched.

"So it is a request then, I asked that before." Danny muttered. Ember glared at him.

Danny raised both hands and gestured for her to continue. Ember sighed.

"Okay. I know we aren't at the best terms but... I've decided to stop messing with the humans." She stuttered.

Danny was surprised at that. "Really?"

Ember nodded and fiddled with her guitar. "Yeah, I kinda realized that music is perfect, and I shouldn't really ruin it with the mind control thing and whatever..."she muttered.

Danny nodded. "That's good. Your music is great, an your voice is amazing. Its nice that you finally found your true power in music." he smiled.

Ember blushed. "You really think my voice is amazing?" she asked hopefully.

Danny nodded and buried his hands in his pockets. "Absolutely."

He stuck out one hand. "Deal?" he asked, his eyes darkening then turning back to ice blue.

Ember smiled and took his hand.

Blue flames sparked from her hand as soon as it touched his.

"Ouch!" they both screamed, then let go.

Danny flailed his hand around frantically as Ember marveled at the quickly disappearing white frost on her arm.

Danny pulled his hand to his chest and chuckled. "Fire and ice...bad idea..." he laughed.

Ember curled her fingers into a fist, "Definitely..." she muttered.

"I've never felt heat like that in my life...or death." Danny mused. He then smirked. "I guess I can say, you're too hot for me." he snickered.

"Oh god, he's got puns." Ember joked.

"Is it too late for me to be pun-ished for it?"

"Jeez. Now he's a pervert."

"Ouch, babe. That burnt."

"Wow, that was lame." Ember snorted.

"Okay, okay. Seriously, that fire hurt my hand." Danny showed her his hand.

Ember leaned in, then pushed him away. "Dude, your hands fine!"

"I know, but I was so close to getting them lips..." he smiled, his sharp teeth startling the young ghost.

Ember blushed, and glared at him.

"I would punch you if your face wouldn't freeze my arm off."

"You love me too much to do it."

"What is up with you today?" Ember asked.

"Drunk a lot of cokes when nobody was looking."

"Oh, sugar overload."

"Of course."

"Well, I've got to go, Phantom. See ya." Ember turned to go, but Danny grabbed her guitar and turns her back around.

"Call me Danny. And why don't you stay?"

"I've got to get back to the zone, this world...well, this is not where I belong." she pulled her guitar away.

"You're gonna miss me when I'm gone..."

Ember whirled around. "What?"

"Its a song."

"What would you know about music, Dipstick?"

Danny snatched her guitar and flew away. Ember frowned and flew after him.

"Hey, give that back!"

Danny laughed and played a few chords.

 _"How come no one heard her when she said..._

 _Maybe I'm better off dead! If I was would it finally be enough?_

 _Shut out all those voices in my head..."_

Ember stopped in her tracks.

 _"Maybe I'm better off dead!_

 _Better off dead...did you hear a word, hear a word I said?_

 _This is not where I belong..._

 _You're gonna miss me when I'm gone."_

Danny smirked and shouldered her guitar.

"Sleeping With Sirens. Best band ever, next to Get Scared." he shrugged.

"I didn't know you could play." Ember huffed in amazement.

"Didn't know I could sing either, right?" he sighed, putting his hands in his pockets.

Ember nodded.

"I've always been able to sing like that, my mom used to have me sing for people." he grimaced.

"And the guitar?"

"My sister gave me a guitar for my birthday two years ago." he shrugged.

"You can play like that after two years?!" Ember exclaimed.

"Yeah, music's my talent I guess.." Danny rubbed the back of his neck.

"We have GOT to do a concert! This is amazing! I've finally found someone as good as me, maybe even better! We've got to go NOW!" Ember grabbed his arm and tugged him towards the gym.

"What? No!" Danny turned himself and Ember intangible, just in time to go through the gym wall.

Danny stopped flying and put his dead weight on the enthusiastic girl.

"Wha- Hey!"

Ember let go of Danny, who promptly started floating again.

"What gives, man?" Ember groaned.

"I-I said no..." Danny muttered. Ember scowled at him.

"What, scared?" she glared.

"N-No, it's just... My friends..." Danny started.

"What, it's not like they don't know. Come on!" Ember crossed her arms.

Danny looked at her pointedly.

"They don't."

Ember's gaze softened. "Sorry, it's just...they don't know how great your talent is? They're your best friends! You should tell them everything, right?" Ember shrugged.

"Well, I need some secrets to keep. They already know the rest. They don't need to know all my business." Danny huffed.

"Okay." Ember and Danny touched down on the stage.

"This is all of what's left off my chill time anyway. I have ten minutes." Danny muttered.

"Oh come on. Even the Prince has to have some time to relax."

"Yep. And today was it." Danny replied.

"Just today?" Ember asked incredulously.

"Yep."

"Yikes..."

"Hey Ember?"

"Yeah?" She looked to see Danny standing at the back of the stage.

"I found some mics." he held up two microphones.

Ember smiled widely. "Sweet."

"What you wanna sing, Amber?" Danny asked happily.

"Don't worry Daniel, I have the perfect song for us." Ember smirked.

Danny grimaced. "Okay, I'll stop."

"I win. Ha." she smirked. Danny rolled his eyes.

Ember raised the microphone to her lips.

 _"As a child, you would wait_

 _and watch from far away._

 _But you always knew that you'd be the one to work while they all played..."_

She smiled at him. He smirked and sang right back.

 _"In youth, you'd lay_

 _awake at night and scheme_

 _of all the things that you would change._

 _But it was just a dream..."_

He flashed her a smile as she glared at him.

"Round one to Phantom." he smirked.

"Shut up, dipstick."

 _"Hush. Don't speak. When you spit your venom,_

 _keep the check. I hate it_

 _when you hiss and preach._

 _Without your new Messiah,_

 _could your theories catch fire?"_

 _"I can't find your silver lining. I don't mean to judge..._

 _But when you read your speech it's tiring._

 _Enough is enough."_

They shared a smile.

 _"I'm covering my ears like a kid._ _When you're words mean nothing I go_ **_La, La, La._** _I'm turning up the volume when you speak_... _cause if my heart starts thumping, I find a way to block it..."_

Danny looked at her sideways. "Okay I'll give you that one."

 _"Frozen inside._

 _Without your touch, without your love.._

 _Darling only you_

 _Are the life for more than the dead.."_

 _"All this time,_

 _I can't believe I couldn't see._

 _Stuck in the dark but you were there in front of me."_

 _"I've been sleeping a thousand years, it seems. Got to open my eyes to everything..."_

 _"Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul..."_

 _"Don't let me die here... Bring me to life!"_

 _"Wake me up_.. _.Wake me up inside!_ _I can't wake up_... _Wake me up inside! Save me!_ _Call my name and save me from the dark_... _Wake me up_... _Leave my blood to rot_...I _can't wake up._. _.Before I come undone_... _Save me!_ _Save me from the nothing I've become! **Bring me to life..."**_

Danny and Ember laughed as they caught their breath.

"Okay, okay. Now I've got a song for you." Danny said.

Ember rolled her eyes.

 _"Mmm..._

 _Well Alibaba had them forty thieves, Sheherazet had a thousand tales._

 _But Ember, your in luck 'cause up your sleeves, you've got a brand of magic never fails."_

Danny gave a short bow and formed her a rose of ice.

 _"You've got some power in your corner now._

 _Some heavy ammunition in your can._

 _You got some punch, pizazz, yahoo and how._

 _All you gotta do is call my name and I'll say:_

 _Hello miss Ember there, what will your pleasure be?"_

Danny floated to her side and sat down.

 _"Let me take your order, jot it down. You ain't never had a friend like me."_

He went to put an arm across her shoulders but got burnt, and pulled his arm back.

He smiled sheepishly.

 _"My, my, my..._ _Life is your restaurant. And I'm your waiter, see. Come on and whisper what it is you want, You ain't never had a friend like me."_

"Really?" Ember asked sarcastically. Danny nodded.

 _"Yes ma'am, we pride ourselves on service."_

Ember jumped as another Danny sat down beside her.

 _"You're the boss, the queen, the Shah."_

Ember found herself surrounded in a group of Dannys, all singing in harmony.

 _"Say what you wish, its yours. True dish. How 'bout a little more baklava?"_

A Danny on her left smiled and formed a bowl of the food in a wisp of white smoke. Ember reached for it, but the Danny disappeared. Each clone swiftly vanished in puffs of green smoke.

Ember sat confused until the ground started shaking.

 _"Hey, have some of column A.."_ A tall spire of multiple ice sculptures rose from her right.

 _"Try all of column B..."_ Up rose a giant display of guitars of all sizes, shapes, and colors.

 _"I'm in the mood to help you dude. You ain't never had a friend like me!"_

 _"Can your friends do this?_ " Danny made it snow, only around Ember.

 _"Can your friends do that?"_ Danny pointed beside Ember, where she was surprised to see a Danny, who changed into Fenton.

 _"Can your friends pull this out their little hat?"_

Danny then filled the room with Dannys, gold, jewels, and lots of food. Ember couldn't tell where he got it from.

 _"Can your friends go poof-"_ All the Danny duplicates exploded into green and white smoke.

 _"So don't you sit there slack-jawed, buggy eyed. I'm here to answer all you're midday prayers. You've got me bonafide, certified. You got a Danny for your charged affairs. I got a bottle full of herbs to help you out, so what you wish I really want to know."_

Danny sat on a chest overflowing with gold coins and put a small black crown on his head.

 _"You've got a list that's three miles long, no doubt."_ Danny shrugged as Ember glared.

 _"Well all you've got to do is call me so...oh. Whoa..."_

Danny smiled.

 _"I've got you Ember so, your wish or two or three...I'm on the job, I'm never done. You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend..."_

Many Dannys appeared, some eating food, others pricing the gold items.

 _"You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend..."_

Danny gave Ember back her guitar.

 _"You ain't never."_ He placed the black crown in her hands.

 _"Had a..."_ The duplicates disappeared.

 _"Friend like me..."_ the crown crumbled into dust.

Danny finally seated himself next to Ember, and smiled cockily at her.

 _"You ain't never had a friend like me!"_

All the food, gold, and priceless jewels melted away in a white cloud. The two ghosts sat in silence.

"You could have left me the baklava."

"So you have wished it, so it shall be." Danny muttered.


	7. Chapter 6

"Dude, where'd you go?" Tucker asked.

"Danny, you skipped the whole class!"

Danny shrugged. "I had a problem that I had to deal with. And I was already late, so who cares?"

Tucker watched amused as Sam pushed Danny's head to the side and snatched her school things from him.

Sam glared as Danny stuck out his tounge.

"Just because she won't let you be a man-servant, doesn't mean I'll pass up the chance." Tucker stated and threw his bags to Danny, who caught them and rolled his eyes.

"Sure, man. Whatever you say." He muttered.

"Yes!" Tucker cheered. "After this, you'll clean my room, and the attic needs sorting out. My mom needs the car washed, the house cleaned," he listed off on his fingers. "My mom also needs the shopping done: she needs baking soda, oregano, napkins, eggs, ground beef, and bleach. Go!" he smiled. Danny shook his head and shoved Tucker's bags back at him.

"No way, man! I draw the line right at that endless crypt you call an attic. The million boxes of baby pictures grew legs last time." He said.

Tucker shrugged and walked backwards. "I told you it was just my dog."

"You lost it when you were six!"

"And I found him when we cleaned the attic."

"We were twelve then!"

"You guys are really weird people..." Sam inserted. The boys both looked at her.

"Well, you're the one who said you would love to live up there." Danny shot back. Tucker nodded in agreement.

Sam sent him a smoldering look.

"Hey, his words not mine." Tucker shrugged.

 **_DP_**

Danny slammed the front door and entered the living room, almost running into his father, who was carrying some random type of machinery.

"Whoa! Watch out, son!" Jack yelled happily. Danny sidestepped and made his way to the stairs. His mom appeared at the top of the stairs, clad in her blue hazmat suit. The parts of her face that were visible brightened.

"Danny! How was school?" Maddie smiled. Danny shrugged. "Good, I guess. It wasn't bad." He said. She nodded understandingly and made her way down the stairs.

"That's good, honey. Now Jazz is out, so if you need us we'll be in the lab!" Maddie said. She and Jack then turned and entered the kitchen, heading to the basement.

Danny watched them go, then shook his head. If you tell your mother that you had gotten kidnapped, you would expect her to not let you out of her sights for about a month... But it seemed that Maddie didn't care that much.

Danny headed up the stairs and went into his room. He glanced at his desk and saw that the black and green earpiece was in the same spot he left it earlier.

Danny flopped down on his blue blanketed bed, and pulled his own earpiece from his school bag. Now that he was in human form, it had turned completely white, losing the green lining.

He put it in his ear and pressed the button, Danny knew that his parents wouldn't appear in the next week unless the house caught on fire, and not even for a small thing like him talking to himself like a crazed up fruit loop.

 _"Yo! This thing scared me half to death!"_ Tucker laughed.

 _"Can we kill the puns for now?"_ Sam commented.

 _"Is this thing on? And that was a pun too, Sam."_ Jazz inputted.

"Hey guys, sorry if I scared you or whatever." Danny told them.

 _"Nah, man. It's cool."_ Tucker supplied.

 _"Are you ready to tell us what went on, Danny?"_ Jazz asked.

 _"Wait, he didn't even tell you!?"_

 _"He didn't tell me."_

 _"No one cares about you, what about his sister?"_

"Guys, I'm serious...do you want to hear or not?"

 _"Go on, Danny."_

 _"Yeah dude."_

 _"Sorry."_

"Okay. It was like two in the morning, and I had just gotten to sleep...then my ghost sense went off..."

 ** _~Line Break~_**

 _Danny Fenton's eyes snapped open as blue mist poured from his mouth. He sat up, his icy blue eyes scanning the room for potential threats, but he saw none. Danny frowned and blinked, reopening his now glowing green eyes._

 _"Dani? Clockwork?" he questioned. The faint rhythmic sound of the pouring rain met his ears._

 _The time ghost chuckled and faded into visibility. "It seems that you have gotten better at sensing my arrival." The said ghost was tall, with pale green skin and a long, jagged scar over one of his glowing red eyes. His purple cloak illuminated the blue bedroom in an eerie light._

 _Danny groaned and laid back down. "I'm glad you visited, Clockwork, but I won't be happy to see you until you show up when I'm **not** sleeping..." he said._

 _Clockwork chuckled, and shifted into a young adult form. "I only come when you need my help."_

 _"What did I need your help with, sleeping? Cause if so, then you're helping me wrong..." Danny muttered into his pillow._

 _"Actually Daniel, I came here for a reason. You have two choices: let me guide you into the Ghost Zone, **or** let the Zone itself forcefully pull you to pieces trying to get to you through a natural portal that doesn't exist..."_

 _"What?" Danny sat up again. "You've got to be joking, because all I got from that was 'let me guide you' and 'forcefully pulled to pieces'..." he stated worriedly._

 _Clockwork nodded happily, as if he had not just told a poor boy that he would be ripped to shreds. Danny jumped to his feet, tossing the blankets aside._

 _"Well, why didn't you say so at first!" he said panicked, pulling on a black shirt and green shorts. Danny pulled on some black converse and reached for a golden medallion that Clockwork now held in his hand._

 _As soon as he slipped the smooth, cold ribbon around his neck, the quiet of the night grew even more silent. The loud snores of Jack Fenton slammed to a relieving halt, the soothing sound of rain faded._

 _Danny wiped his eyes and opened his bedroom door. "Okay then, Clocky. Lead the way."_

 _ **_DP_**_

 _"So, where are we going?" Danny asked, floating along happily. The green of the Ghost Zone swirled around him, Danny looking at home even in his human form. The zero gravity kept everything levitated, and kept the now wide awake Danny happy._

 _Clockwork smiled and kept moving. "We are going to the Keep."_

 _Danny's smile slipped off his face and he retired from his relaxed position._

 _"The...the Keep? You mean, Pariah's Keep?" His voice faltered. Clockwork didn't answer, but kept moving. Danny did not move._

 _"W-why?" He stuttered. Clockwork slowed, then stopped. He sighed and turned to look into Danny's crestfallen face._

 _"The Ghost Zone needs you. You can't feel it?" Clockwork questioned._

 _"No! Tell me why we are going there." Danny said quietly._

 _"Feel the Zone, Daniel. I know you can." Clockwork insisted once more._

 _"Of course I can, it's all around me! But I am not going back there...Not again." Danny stated darkly._

 _Clockwork sighed deeply. Danny floated defiantly in front of him, arms crossed._

 _It was obvious to him that Clockwork knew something important, but just wasn't telling him._

 _"Tell. Me. Everything." Danny said coldly._

 _Clockwork put a hand to his temple and sighed again._

 _"The Ghost Zone is always alive with energy. That energy flows into all of the ghosts, keeping us here. It keeps us going. You've been away from the zone for too long, and now it wants you back. It was trying to forcefully apply to you all of the energy preserved for you and you alone. You are wide awake now, aren't you?"_

 _Danny narrowed his eyes but nodded._

 _"That, and the Ghost Zone has always had a ruler. Since the beginning of time, there has always been one person keeping the ghosts and the zone itself under control. All the energy in the zone that can overpower any normal being, it is poured into the heir of the throne to be the next leader. All powerful, protective of their subjects, a perfect ruler. No one is controlling the Ghost Zone as of right now, so the power is going haywire. The last ruler is MIA, so to speak."_

 _Danny nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Pariah was the King. He got put to sleep, like twice. The ghosts of the kingdom decided they didn't need a ruler and never did, until he escaped and tried to take over again. I already had this history lesson before." he huffed._

 _Clockwork held up a hand. "You didn't let me finish. Not even last time." he frowned._

 _Danny put up his hands. "My bad."_

 _Clockwork inwardly groaned. "Actually, once Pariah was put to sleep the ghosts didn't have a say at all. Pariah didn't have a heir, so he stayed king. And usually, if the current king does not have a heir, you can win the crown by defeating them in battle."_

 _"Yeah, so?"_

 _Clockwork almost slapped himself. He groaned again._

 _"Only the person who defeated the previous king may become the rightful ruler."_

 _"Huh? Yeah, but what does that have to do with ME?"_

 _"YOU defeated Pariah Dark, Daniel."_

 _Danny reeled back. "What?! All I did was lock him in the freaking coffin! Some other guy did that too, before me!" he said in defense._

 _"But you are the only one who actually broke the lock! When the lock on the coffin is broken, the person trapped inside is lost forever." Clockwork pointed out._

 _"So...wait..but I didn't...why me?" Danny whispered in shock._

 _"It is your fate, I have foreseen it."_

 _Danny snapped out of his reverie. This ghost irritated him to no end._

 _"But I don't WANT TO BE KING! Why didn't you tell me this would happen?!" He yelled, and shot off into the zone. He somehow flew faster than ever before, maybe because he was in his human form..._

 _Why was everyone suddenly expecting so much of him?_

 __DP__

 _Danny sat on the edge of a floating pathway, dangling his feet into the green void that went on forever._

 _Danny couldn't tell whether he was hanging upside down, or sitting sideways, and he honestly didn't care._

 _Danny had tried playing dumb with Clockwork, but he just didn't want to admit that he knew. He had known since the day after he had defeated Pariah, when all types of energy started flowing into him from the zone at random points in time._

 _Danny sighed and pulled his black bangs from his eyes. "Always has to be me..." he muttered._

 _Fright Knight shimmered into existence beside him._

 _"Go away." Danny grumbled without looking up._

 _"You know I cannot, My Prince. I must escort you to the Keep." Fright Night said calmly. The suit of armor leaned down and picked up Danny, roughly tossing him over his shoulder._

 _Danny's anger grew quickly. He balled his hands into fists and started pounding on the armor. "Fright, Why can't you just go back and work for Vlad? I don't need your help!" he growled, pounding on the shoulder that Fright had just placed him on._

 _Fright ignored him. "The time ghost has asked me to escort you to your burning, as you must-"_

 _Danny panicked. "Burning!?"_

 _"-the purity ritual, my Prince. Those who are accepted will have the rights to-"_

 _"I can't be near fire! I have an ice core, I'll freaking frost myself out!" Danny struggled even more, summoning the bright rings that brought forward his ghostly self. Fright responded by tightening his already vice like grip, causing Danny to grimace in pain._

 _"Do not worry, young Prince. You will not 'Frost yourself out', as you say. The fire harms no one, all but one with dark intentions. If you are accepted, you will assume your true form, in which you shall forever rule."_

 _Danny's attempts at escape were futile, seeing as Fright was not fazed at all by the dents in his armor._

 _"No! Let me go!" Danny cried, twisting and turning in Fright's grip. Some tears formed in his blue eyes. "Listen to me! Please!"_

 _Fright froze. Then promptly dropped him._

 _"I apologize, Young Prince." he said quietly. Danny sat on the floating piece of ground where he had landed, sniffling and wiping his eyes._

 _"Why does no one ever ask me what I want?" Danny mewled loudly. Danny's hands grasped at nothing, his white hair covering his face as his thin frame shook with sobs. "I didn't want this... I don't want to do this!"_

 _Fright did not know what to do. His master wallowed in despair, while he stood there doing nothing to help._

 _And at that moment, for the first time in hundreds of years, Fright Knight remembered. His armor fell away._

 _The hard, onyx armor melted away, waves of darkness slipping off, the fire in his eyes died down._

 _The shadows slipped away, revealing pale skin and dark chocolatey hair, adorning a rapidly de-aging man._

 _Fright's de-aging came to a halt, showing a shirtless teen boy with purple eyes and many distributing scars, and a generally dark aura._

 _Fright knelt in front of the boy, his rich purple eyes searching Danny all over._

 _"I'm sorry..." Fright said softly. "Did I hurt you?"_

 _"Obviously!" Danny snapped. "What do you people even want from me?! After all I've done, they just want more! I did what you wanted, right?! You just don't- I don't understand!" Danny started hyperventilating._

 _"I-I mean..I DIED that year. I freaking DIED! And since then, nobody has asked me- not even once..how I feel about it! Its always **Are you okay? Are you alright? Can you keep fighting?** No, I'm not okay. I'm not alright! I **DON'T WANT** to keep fighting! What more could you possibly need from me?!" Danny had a crazed look in his eyes._

 _"I'm DEAD. I'M DEAD, OKAY?! I'm not supposed to keep pretending that half alive is **not** half dead, because it is! I'm dead. I'm not dead, but I just can't ignore the fact that I AM. But you guys- you just don't listen...and I'm tired of being used by people who don't even **care** ,.. the ghosts, the humans, even my stupid friends use me! And I, I help **so much**...all I get from it is more pain! But they-you guys- you don't even care, as long as I've saved YOU. And I-I can't pretend that I have a **life** \- that ended so long ago." Danny forced out a strangled laugh._

 _"I knew that was over. The worse part is that I've been forced to watch everyone growing up, something that I'll- it'll never happen to me! I can't grow up! I can't even die right- and believe me, I've tried! So many times I've tried..._

 _"After a while I realized- I just noticed, there was only one reason why I even exist. I only existed to half die. I died- but I didn't!" He laughed again._

 _"And now everyone has a tool- only to be used when they need it! You guys use me, ignore me- like it doesn't matter! What I say doesn't matter, what I don't want- you don't even care! I don't matter to any of you! I've become my name. I'm become Phantom, a phantom- seen and used, but hated and feared and ignored by everyone." The humor had long since drained away._

 _"I always wonder if I should tell them...I'm not a hero, I'm dead... But as soon as I pull myself together enough to tell them- they're not even listening to me! They didn't hear a word I said, because they don't care enough to. I can't pretend that everything is fine, because.. it's **not**..." Danny's tears came back full force._

 _Danny shook his head, "They tell m-me it's f-fine, but it's not! I-Its not...I want you t-to listen...I w-want them to l-listen to me...to j-just **hear** me..." he cried._

 _Fright sighed at the familiar words... He remembered..._

 _"I understand now, my Prince." Fright muttered. "We are the same..."_

 _Fright sat down and pulled the still crying Danny into his lap. It should have felt weird, but to Danny it only helped._

 _"I have had...this same problem before... There was once a time, and I have just remembered...YOU helped me remember...I had a younger brother, very much like you.."_

 _Danny began to slowly let out his core, the frost coating Fright's bare chest where his head lay. The cold didn't seem to affect him, as he kept talking, a distant look in his eyes._

 _"He had sacrificed himself for me...it was a job that I was supposed to do...but he did not want me to leave our family unprotected..." Fright subconsciously squeezed Danny tighter, rubbing soothing circles in his back._

 _"But when it was my turn to give myself up, I did it willingly. It took me until the day I died to hear it... He said that he didn't want to do it, and that nobody had ever asked his opinion...but what he meant...told me that he gave up because he had to, for others. Not because he wanted to."_

 _A couple of minutes in silence passed as the air around them steadily got colder._

 _'For others...', Danny thought._

 _"Fright, what are you saying?" Danny asked._

 _"What I mean young Prince, is to take a step up. You're all they have left."_

 _And with that, Fright stood up, unceremoniously dumping Danny back on the ground._

 _"Hey!" Danny complained._

 _"Yeah, whatever. I'm still older than you, loser." Fright Knight sneered, reverting to modern teen dialogue._

 _Danny cracked a smile at that. "Yeah, sure. Ready to go?"_

 _In a blur of black, Fright's armor appeared on his body. Fright's purple eyes shone through the visor, before being engulfed in red._

 _"Ready if you are, sir." he said mockingly._

 ** __DP__**

 _Danny dismissed Fright Knight at the edge of the Keep._

 _Clockwork stood at the entrance to the grand castle, waiting patiently. Danny walked up to him, nervously rubbing his neck._

 _"I'm ready, if you don't ask anything..." Danny stated glumly._

 _Clockwork smiled and gestured to the crumbling doors of the great hall, "I was never going to."_

 _Danny scowled. Why did it seem like Clockwork didn't care either? "Shut it, Old Man."_

 _Clockwork smiled harder, if it was possible, as Danny led him into the crumbling castle._

 _The main hall was in ruins. The once grand castle entrance had fallen greatly, the hard stone walls crumbling due to lack of power. The floors were covered in inches of dirt and dust, but a dim blue light still shone around every piece of debris. Danny stepped around a chunk of stone, avoiding stubbing his toes._

 _Danny moved further into the hall, until Clockwork's hand clamped down on his shoulder. Danny turned, seeing Clockwork pointing to a large pile of stone._

 _"There." Clockwork said._

 _Danny took a deep breath and pushed himself off the grimy floor, hovering a good three inches. He slowly glided toward the pile of stone, which he noticed subtly glowed with a blue light when he moved closer._

 _When he was less than two feet away, the pile of rocks suddenly exploded into blue flames, making Danny recoil in surprise._

 _The rocks had cleared away to reveal a large slab of onyx, which was crafted beautifully into a table of sorts. From where Danny stood, he could see graceful carvings of swirls and stars which oddly reflected something blue. Danny would have turned to look, if he hadn't known that there was absolutely nothing of color behind him, and he was in his ghost form, which had no blue anywhere on his monochrome hazmat. Danny reached out, wanting to see if the dark slab of stone was as smooth as it looked._

 _An inch before his gloved fingers made contact, the table burst into blue flames. The fire quickly flicked up Danny's arm, and he withdrew it in panic._

 _"WHOA!" he yelled waving his gloved hand to put out the flame that had caught in it. "Ow, ow! It hurts! It...doesn't... hurt?" he asked amazed. "But...i-it hurt before...what?"_

 _Clockwork chuckled again and motioned at the table. "That's good. Go on, then." he said._

 _Danny's face molded into a look of pure sorrow, his back turned to the time ghost. "Don't rush me." he muttered, too quiet for the other to hear._

 _Danny sighed as he gazed at the table. If he continued...it will be worse... If he turned back..._

 _Danny's eyes hardened into a cold demeanor. "It'll be all the same." he sighed._

 _"What was that?" Clockwork asked. Danny shook his head. A flash of white light, and instead of Danny Phantom, there stood Danny Fenton._

 _"Turning back will be no use...Maybe worse is better, yeah?" Danny said into empty air, before putting both hands onto the stone table. The blue flames rose again in an instant, and this time he did not move away._

 _The blue fire curled around his hands, sending a warm feeling up his arms. The soft light made his blue eyes glow brightly and sent a halo of blue around his black hair._

 _Danny slid his hands over the surface of the table. It was definitely as smooth as it looked...Danny sighed, closing his eyes for a few seconds._

 _Danny ran his hands over the unnaturally smooth stone one last time, before pulling himself up onto the table. He stretched out his legs, sighing softly as the unfamiliar heat washed over him. He leaned back into the fire, and as soon as he did, his entire body left the table._

 _Danny's eyes snapped open wide in shock, before his body went completely limp, floating above the table. His wide open eyes filled with pure blackness, as if someone had poured ink into them. The flames surrounding him moved as if in slow motion, and the blue quickly gave in to the unearthly green that was Danny's ghostly aura._


	8. Chapter 7

**I'm really sorry, I have no excuse, really.**

* * *

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

"...And...that's why I went missing for two days!" Danny chuckled nervously.

 _"...What..the hell, man..."_ Tucker sighed.

 _"Even I could tell that wasn't even the whole story."_ Jazz scoffed.

 _"Yeah man, what's the problem?"_ Sam asked.

Of course Danny had left out parts of the story... Like the part about Fright Knight... And about him running away and being... completely miserable... And all the work he had to do after he woke up.

Some secrets were worth keeping.

" _Uh, guys...I think there's something you need to see.."_ Tuckers voice was filled with something that Danny couldn't make out.

Danny's phone beeped on his bedside table where he had left it earlier, seeing as he doesn't use it very much. He heard the familiar sounds of Sam and Jazz's phones over the headset as he rolled off the bed and slid his phone off the table, before promptly crashing to the floor.

 _"Really, Danny? Are you just falling your way around the house?"_ Jazz sighed.

"...maximum effort..." Danny mumbled, his head resting painfully on the hard floor.

Tucker sighed over the headset again. _"Never mind your laziness. A problem has worked it's way around to us all on its own. Check your phones, you are not going to believe this..."_

_ ___ DP_

Dash sighed, pushing his phone back inside his pocket once again.

No calls, no texts, nothing...what was the point of trying to be with this girl if she doesn't even bother to make an excuse for not showing up? Another evening wasted waiting for Paulina to show up for a movie, and Dash wondered blandly if the girl thought that it would not start until she showed up. Well it doesn't matter now, it ended twenty minutes ago.

Dash sighed and stood up from his high bar stool. "Sorry I stayed so late this time, Matt... I'll pay extra next time for keeping you up..."

The blue haired boy behind the counter shrugged as he continued eating his bucket of popcorn. "Meh, the money doesn't matter to me. The pleasures all mine watching you fail miserably with your bitchy bitch of a girlfriend. She's a bitch, by the way." The working teen snickered in amusement, lifting another handful of popcorn to his grinning face.

Dash sent a half-hearted glare at the makeshift bartender, before sighing sadly. "I have to try though...," he said.

Matt snorted through his mouthful of popcorn. "Yeah, and look where that got you... She ain't worth half a penny, and unlucky for you, you got her for like, a dollar!" Matt cackled loudly as Dash rolled his eyes.

"Why are you enjoying this so much?" Dash shook his head. Matt shrugged, pushing up his glasses. "I dunno, not like I wanted to. Just got caught up, I guess."

"We've done this to ourselves for about a week man. If you didn't wanna 'get caught up', why would you keep up with this?" Dash asked.

Matt scoffed. "How else would I get free popcorn, hello..."

"Crawl back inside your cave, you prehistoric idiot."

"Yeah, whatever. I just love seeing you wallow in your own misery. It's...it's so beautiful..." he fake sobbed, before frowning. "Actually... I really think its only for the popcorn..."He rubbed his chin in thought.

"When will you stop being such an asshole to me?" Dash snapped.

"As soon as you stop being such an asshole to everyone else." Matt quipped. "You might _think_ you'll be able to boss around everyone who you think is weaker than you, but you need to realize that power is more than strength. The 'nerds' who you shove into lockers will be the same people who decide whether or not you have enough money to feed your family in the future. Those so called 'losers' in music class, they will be the ones to become international pop stars. The same 'freaks' you see making their own art that you put down so much, their open-mindedness will go down in history. But you... you won't even be mentioned. You'll just be pushed back, far far back into the memories of each and every person, and you...You'll be nothing."

Matt chuckled darkly, his glasses glinting in the low theater light, a harsh smirk gracing his face. Dash took a step back, and narrowed his eyes at the weird teenager.

"O-Okay...I guess I'll be leaving then..." he stated hollowly. Matt's dark demeanour instantly disappeared, and he smiled brightly, as if he didn't just spout a rant from nowhere.

"Feel free to stay again next time you get ditched by your bitchy girlfriend! I'm always up for some destructive criticism!" he smiled.

"Don't you mean _constructive_ criticism?"

"Nope!"

Dash's phone beeped.

"Oh, Oh! Opportunity!" Before Dash could react, Matt had snatched his phone, scrolling through the notification list.

"The phone is beeping, let us see, is it _Bitchy girlfriend_ calling thee?" Matt said in a weird voice. Dash looked slightly hopeful until Matt laughed. "Alas, from _Bitchy girlfriend_ it is not. It is from 'Nerd Mikey', aaaand... I.. can't.. rhyme anything with that, so yeah, here's your phone."

Matt shrugged and tossed the scowling boy his phone back.

Dash caught his phone with a sneer, glaring at the nineteen year old, and then checked his phone. Dash frowned, wondering why and how Mikey was texting him. But then again maybe he (like Dash) had the numbers of every student from school, just so he knew who not to answer when they called. If that was the case, then it must be desperate if Mikey was texting him, and he could be in danger.

Dash opened the message and raised a blonde eyebrow as he saw it was a multimedia attachment. Dash rolled his eyes and played the video, which came around to six minutes long. But as the video played, Dash's eyes widened and his face filled with confusion.

_DP_

 _"Can I go get something from my locker?" A slightly hurried voice asked._

 _The camera focused on a black haired teen who walked past a few desks to make a hasty exit through the classroom door._

 _A second voice (the person recording perhaps) spoke not a second after. "Can I go to the bathroom?" The camera followed the previous student outside the door._

 _The camera gave view to the hallway, which was completely empty, despite the person who left merely seconds before. "What... where did he go?" The recorder muttered. "Now I gotta catch up..." he grumbled, and the scene paused, before resuming at a different scene._

 _The gray stone of the low front wall at the front of the school obscured most of the screen._

 _"He's still hunting them..." an angry voice said lowly._

 _"The warden admittedly does not like you. He will stop at nothing until he has even you locked away in his hold."_

 _The camera shifted up over the wall, giving a grainy view of Danny Fenton with his back facing the camera. Standing in front of him was a black haired teenager wearing a green shirt and a black leather jacket._

 _"Well that's not gonna happen. Get the others. Meet back here later, we're taking him down." Danny said, turning back to the school._

 _What little of the other teens face that wasn't blocked by his hair showed a frown. "Why not come now?"_

 _"You know I have school." Danny sighed._

 _The teen's body language became tense. "You need to remember that you are not human anymore-"_

 _"What?" Mikey whispered._

 _"-situation will only get worse. You have no need to be here."_

 _Danny growled and turned back around. "Know your place, Fright." Fright sighed._

 _"Fine. How long will you stay here, sir?"_

 _"As long as I want, Fright. I'll take what's left of this and enjoy it while I have it."_

 _"But-"_

 _"Later, Fright." Danny's exasperated sigh was barely audible._

 _"Yes, sir." the teen said, and as he turned around, the camera showed red trails where his eyes shifted across the screen. The camera quickly dropped back down behind the stone wall._

 _"Oh crap, he almost saw me!" Mikey panicked quietly._

 _The camera shook in place for a moment, then moved clear of the wall again._

 _No one was there._

 _The video glitches and a view full of sunlight hits the screen until the camera auto adjusts itself, revealing a view of Danny, Tucker, and Sam sitting under the shade of a tree eating lunch._

 _"I mean, I had such a wild weekend. And after what I told my parents, I don't think they will let me out of the house ever again. But I'll just sneak out anyway." Danny sat next to Sam, with Tucker on the other side of him._

 _"Hey what did you tell them anyway?" Sam asked._

 _"Yeah. What excuse did you use?" Tucker scoffed._

 _"I told them I got kidnapped and escaped and stole a wallet and all the stuff that fits into that category!" Danny smiled, shrugging his shoulders._

 _"Yeah, cause we totally expect you to tell them what really happened..." Sam muttered._

 _Tucker put on a contemplative look. "Well, it could be sorta like a fake half lie. If you ask me nicely I'll tell you exactly how to do it." Tucker hinted badly._

 _Danny rolled his eyes. "I'll buy you an extra large super ultra mega meaty Nasty Burger."_

 _"Yes!" Tucker accepted. He leaned over and whispered his idea to Danny._

 _"What is up with this guy?" Mikey mumbles._

 _Danny grimaced and sat up._

 _"How am I supposed to tell my parents that I got kidnapped by a obsessive woman who turned me into a vampire? They would kill me! Or at least try..." Danny shook his head._

 _Tucker smiled ruefully. "And do me a favor. Never, ever, and I mean it, never eat at school Danny."_

 _Danny grinned, and suddenly he was behind Tucker._

 _"_ _ **No promissesssss..."**_ _Danny hissed as him._

 _Tucker slapped his hands away. "Dude! Get away from me!" he said, freaked._

 _The camera suddenly flips into the air and lands on the ground at an angle, no longer showing the trio and only the sky and part of a bush that Mikey was apparently hiding behind._

 _There is muffled shouting and what seems to be hissing off screen and a shadow leaps across the screen yelling, "EVANGELINE!"_

 _There is the sound of struggling, and a loud thud._

 _"GO!" Danny's voice yells._

 _The camera is picked up pretty fast after that, showing Mikey's pale face and in the background, for a second Danny is seen pinning a demonic looking woman down to the ground._

 _The camera immediately shifts away in a blur as Mikey starts running._

 _His panicked mantra of "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god-!" is barely heard over the wind._

 _The video cuts off there, with the screen frozen on a swirl of colors as the camera passes the sky._


End file.
